It is possible for a man and a woman to have a platonic relationship.

Platonic relations can and do occur between men and women.It is true that sometimes one's feelings may interfere with maintaining a relationship as purely platonic. There may be in either party a hope for it to be more than platonic and there may also be a little flirting. These things though do not make it impossible to maintain a platonic relationship. I and my friend did it for more than 10 years and we are heterosexuals who are attracted to each other... It was not easy but was do-able.

For any person with self-discipline and self-control, relations with the other gender are possible.

Contemporary Americans mostly have the discipline and control to have platonic relationships with the other sex. Other cultures that place a high value on male sexual aggression or lack of control will rarely conceive that it is possible for a man and a woman to have a platonic relationship. The cultural values of men and women are the critical factors.

Yes, I agree that it is possible for a man and woman to have a completely platonic relationship because regardless of sex, we are all humans and just because we're friendly to one another, it doesn't have to turn sexual.

I agree that a man and woman can have a totally platonic relationship because a lot of people are married but still have close friends of the opposite sex. People can be friends with one another and not feel any sexual feelings toward them at all. Friends are friends. Lovers are lovers. Sometimes you meet someone and feel you'd like to be with them romantically, but sometimes you just have a love for someone that is on a friendship level only. You can be close to the opposite sex without feeling lust for them.

Yes, because I think most relationships are platonic between males and females on a daily basis, as it is now in society.

I think most relationships are platonic between a male and female on a daily basis. We all have working relationships that require us to work together, without having sexual relations or sexual encounters. If we start breaking those barriers, then we are going to end up with severe problems, and will have to pay severe penalties at the work place, and eventually at home.

It is possible for a man and woman to have a platonic relationship because, while they might have a lot in common, they may not necessarily have what it takes to make a relationship work.

Men and women, while different, are still human. It is very common for men and women to share common interests, without having any kind of sexual spark, which is necessary for any lasting relationship. They may go shopping together, or have meals together, the same as two women or two men might do, and discuss their relationships with their significant others, if applicable. But they do not have to be in a sexual relationship in order to do this.

I agree that men and women can be strictly platonic because it's the woman who sets the tone.

Women are very capable of having and maintaining platonic relationships and for that reason alone it is possible. A man may not choose to stay in a friendship like this, but it is possible if he can accept that the woman is never going to sleep with him no matter what. Or if he's gay.

People are motivated by more than sex--not all the time, but overall in their lives--although they sometimes forget this.

Anyone who thinks sex has to intrude on a relationship has probably forgotten about the richness and depth that friendships can possess. Since men and women are people first of all, and not only their sexual selves, they can be friends with each other. The same dynamics that make same-sex friendships meaningful in a thousand ways can more or less operate between men and women. Sex frequently intrudes, of course, just as it may in same-sex friendships, and transitioning a relationship to a sexual one may or may not be a good idea for people who are good friends at present. To generalize would be absurd. Everyone's circumstances are different, and any two people's chemistry, whether one is thinking romantically or not, is somewhat different. But there are success stories on either side of this dilemma.

I agree that sex is not the ultimate goal of every relationship.

Yes it is possible for a man and woman to be truly in a platonic relationship as life revolves around many other things other than sex. If one wants to be a true friend and has the trust and commitment they can be friends forever even if both of them are married. It is not true that sex is the ultimate goal in everyone's life.

Of course it is possible. Many people have friendships with the opposite sex that remain just that, friendships.

Platonic relationships are quite possible between people of the opposite sex. If they enjoy each other's company and friendship, then it can last a lot longer than if they became sexually involved. Platonic relationships can be rewarding and last a lifetime. Some people are not attracted to each other in a sexual sense but share many other things in common.

Possible, but it doesn't happen often.

While it is a possibility, it is not frequently a reality. The longer that man and woman are in a platonic relationship, the higher the risk of the relationship taking a turn away from the platonic. Usually, a successfully platonic relationship is just that because there is a huge barrier keeping it from becoming otherwise. Examples of this would be one of the individuals being of religious authority, homosexual, imprisoned, married, much older/younger, etc.

Relationships might not develop past platonic, but it doesn't mean you didn't think about it.

Look, if I am really honest with myself, there is not one person of the opposite sex that I have not considered either dating, having a sexual relationship with or moving past a "true platonic friendship". I'll use the excuse that they are married and I'm married, that we work together or that they'd never feel the same way about me -- but those are simply barriers. The truth is that if I am capable of being a friend with someone and more than simply an acquaintance, it's because they have qualities that I am interested in -- whether they like the same activities, pursue the same interests, share the same personality and sense of humor or eat the same food. If I have the capacity to really get along with someone, why can't it become more than just platonic? Just because I'm married doesn't mean that it has not crossed my mind about my own friends and I would be ignorant to assume it hasn't crossed my partners about their friends. In the real world, we're all adults and hopefully mature enough to recognize what is just a passing thought and what is worth pursuing.

Either Way It's Unhealthy

If a healthy man and woman restrain their attraction for each other, it's unhealthy and causes an obvious stress, as men and woman were made to feel attracted to each other.On the other hand, if they truly don't share feelings for each other, that's also an issue. Because a healthy man and woman spending close time together should automatically feel that. And if they don't feel it, there's a bigger issue at hand, such as addiction to pornography, etc...

Maybe for women, but definitely not for men

Men are unlikely to be really friends with someone they don't find attractive. And if they're attracted, it's already more than truly platonic. Women may possibly be able to treat such a situation differently, but again I fancy that they won't be friends with someone their not attracted to in some way, and since they're less bothered about looks, that's putting it back in the same game, for me. If you're attracted to someone can you really consider it just friends? In that circumstance it may only be limited by practicality (i.E. That one or other party isn't available). One or other party usually feels more, in my limited experience. And as a partner of someone you love, would you honestly feel comfortable with that in someone else? Flirting is flirting, attraction is attraction. A platonic relationship can not have either.

Platonic Relationships Cannot Last

Platonic Relationships are "temporary" and "acquaintanceship" based.When a heterosexual man and a hetero sexual woman are both single, there is an initial short term period where they are assessing their romantic possibilities with each other. However, assuming that nothing occurs for whatever reasons, as soon as one of the parties meets a new romantic partner, the "platonic acquaintance" will be dropped immediately. Time management is the reason. In a 24 hour day, take 8 hours for sleeping, 8 hours for work, 2 hours for getting ready and traveling equals 18 hours. Therefore there are 6 hours remaining. When a new romantic relationship begins, the parties involved will use these 6 hours to spend time together. The few remaining hours can conceivably be spent with a platonic acquaintance but that probability is low, especially if & when the other platonic acquaintance finds a romantic partner for themselves. Then there really is no time remaining for any platonic relationship. People are delusional and in denial to think that platonic relationships have a long term future. At best, platonic relationships have a very short life.

Not possible, or very difficult if one at one time had "more than friendship" in mind

This is not simply a yes/no question. While in principke platonoc relationships and friendships are possible, if one of the two ever was truly in love and wanted more, it is difficult if not impossible to maintain a clse yet platonic relationship if one either rejected the other or if the true feelings remain hidden.

Feelings will develop

First off, truly platonic relationships usually start when you two naive people of different genders who do not know what they are doing.

If you take a man and a woman who are not currently dating, and put them in an environment where they will be continuously interacting with each other (i.E meeting up with each other on an almost daily basis), one of them, if not both, will eventually develop romantic and sexual feelings for the other. It's impossible for that not to happen. I do believe that a very tiny percentage of platonic relationships can work, but I would say around 95-99% of the time, truly platonic relationships are a disaster waiting to happen.

Usually, the man is the person who develops romantic and sexual feelings for the woman. That is because woman put men who they have known for a while in the evil, horrible "friend zone" while men, who don't have friend zones, typically won't hang out with a woman on a regular basis unless they are somewhat attracted to them to begin with. Men are biologically designed to want to have sex. Women, on the other hand, are not built like men to crave sex, thus making it easier for them to have truly platonic relationships. The friend zone also means that the man will never be able to have sex with the woman. With that being said, no man wants to be in a woman's friend zone unless he is gay or if the woman is physically unattractive.

When the woman discovers that the man has developed feelings for her, she whines and gets angry at the guy for ruining the so-called "friendship", while the man is hurt because the woman doesn't want to have sex with him or date him just because she has known him for a while. This is also known as "unrequited love".

When unrequited love is involved, there are incredibly stupid and sad things that happen. Hearts get broken, people get emotionally damaged, people feel betrayed, manipulated, lied to, etc., people end up hating each other, and you could have a man or woman who is out there seeking revenge on the person who turned them down. It is a very painful experience, especially for the victim. That is why is it is a VERY BAD IDEA TO GET INTO A CLOSE PLATONIC RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE.

It is good to have friends of the opposite sex who you meet up with once in a while, but "close platonic relationship", in most cases, is a very difficult sell.

It is not possible for them to have a platonic relationship

A man always has raging hormones so even if he doesn't plan it there will be a love relationship later on. A majority of people although they try to be friends the longer they are friends then the more chance for them to become lovers hence force a platonic relationship is not possible.